THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism WILDLIFE DIVISION IN CO-OPERATION WITH ADAP MUSHROOM STUDY The potential of wild edible mushrooms in t he miombo woodlands of the Selous - Niassa Wildlife Corridor for the livelihood improvement of the local population APRIL 2008 Consultants: Dr. Urs Bloesch, www.adansonia–consulting.ch Frank Mbago, Botany Department, University of Dar es Salaam Mushroom study Selous Niassa Wildlife Corridor THE DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF THE SELOUS – NIASSA WILDLIFE CORRIDOR UNDP/GEF project no.: 00038545 GTZ-IS project no.: 55.3024.1 – 001.00 MUSHROOM STUDY The potential of wild edible mushrooms in the miombo woodlands of the Selous Niassa Wildlife Corridor for the livelihood improvement of the local population April 2008 Dr. Urs Bloesch, www.adansonia-consulting.ch Frank Mbago, Botany Department, University of Dar es Salaam 2 Mushroom study Selous Niassa Wildlife Corridor 3 Mushroom study Selous Niassa Wildlife Corridor Contents 1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................7 2. Study area ................................................................................................................................9 3. Methods.................................................................................................................................11 4. Results...................................................................................................................................14 4.1 Species inventory and fructification period ............................................................................14 4.2 Edibility...............................................................................................................................18 4.3 Medicinal uses .....................................................................................................................18 4.4 Habitat of mushroom sites ....................................................................................................19 4.5 Mushroom picking ...............................................................................................................19 4.6 Consumption and preserving techniques................................................................................20 4.7 Marketing ............................................................................................................................21 4.8 Villagers suggestions............................................................................................................22 5. Discussion .............................................................................................................................23 5.1 Species inventory and fructification period ............................................................................23 5.2 Edibility and nutritional and energy values ............................................................................23 5.3 Medicinal uses .....................................................................................................................24 5.4 Habitat of mushroom sites ....................................................................................................25 5.5 Mushroom picking ...............................................................................................................25 5.6 Consumption and preserving techniques................................................................................25 5.7 Marketing ............................................................................................................................26 6. Conclusions ...........................................................................................................................26 7. Vegetation addendum.............................................................................................................28 8. Recommendations ..................................................................................................................30 9. References .............................................................................................................................31 Annex A: Acronyms & Abbreviations ............................................................................................32 Annex B: Itinerary and people met .................................................................................................33 Annex C: Rainfall at Suluti ............................................................................................................34 Annex D: Habitat description of mushroom pickings sites ...............................................................35 5 Mushroom study Selous Niassa Wildlife Corridor Acknowledgements We want to express our sincerest thanks to the Namtumbo District authorities for their confidence and support of this mission. We are grateful to the projects SNWC (UNDP/GEF/GTZ-IS) and Integrated Beekeeping Management Selous-Niassa Corridor (ADAP) for financing this study. Special thanks go to SNWC-Project Manager Kassim Ngomello and the Technical Adviser Rudolf Hahn for the professional preparation of the consultancy and their commitment. Our warm thanks go to Irene Mbonde, ADAP-Community Development Officer, for her commitment and leading role in the socio-economic studies. We are grateful to Ndomondo Issa, Namtumbo District Game Ranger for his kindness and guidance all along the fieldwork. Particular thanks go to Emmanuel Banda who did not only drive us safely through the Corridor but also was an excellent cook. 6 Mushroom study Selous Niassa Wildlife Corridor 1. Introduction The Selous-Niassa miombo woodland ecosystem of southern Tanzania and northern Mozambique is one of the largest and for the global biodiversity most significant, trans- boundary natural ecosystems in Africa, covering over 154,000 km2 (see Fig. 1). Through a network of protected areas of various categories of protection, an area of 110,685km2 of this ecosystem is conserved. Two Game Reserves are critical for the protection of this globally important area: the Selous GR, which covers 47,000km2 making it the largest protected area in eastern and central Africa, and the Niassa GR, Mozambique's largest protected area covering 42,400 km2. The Selous-Niassa Wildlife Corridor provides a significant biological link between the two reserves and consequently for the miombo woodland ecosystem. But there are severe threats to its continued existence, which if left unattended, will block this important link. The Selous-Niassa Wildlife Corridor will be protected with a network of village Wildlife Management Areas. These areas are designated for community natural resource management with a focus on wildlife. The communities of the Corridor are highly dependent on natural resources, but over-utilisation or destructive practices endanger the resource base making law enforcement and the implementation of management and conservation schemes necessary. In order to increase the acceptance of conservation, the project aims at the improvement of the livelihood of the local communities by promoting sustainable use of natural resources from the Corridor. Mushrooms are fruiting bodies of higher fungi. Fungi are neither plants nor animals and they are nowadays classified as a distinct kingdom of their own, the Fungi. Mushrooms are known to be abundant in the miombo woodlands in Southern Africa and in Tanzania (Härkönen et al. 2003) because almost all of the trees are ectomycorrhizal: Their roots live in symbiosis with mushroom mycelia. Many of the mushrooms are edible and have high nutritional and energy values (Härkönen et al. 2003). Mycorrhiza represents a mutually beneficial (symbiotic) relationship between the fungi and trees. In the case of ectomycorrhiza1, the fungal hyphae encircle the roots and the spaces in between the cells of the root bark. The mycelium also spreads into the soil around the tree, thereby increasing tremendously the water- and mineral-absorbing area in soil for the benefit of the tree. In return, the fungal partner which cannot photosynthesize and produce food by itself receives carbohydrates from the tree. Mycorrhizal fungi are highly specific to theirs host: usually a certain tree species (or genus) co-occurs with a few mycorrhizal mushroom species only. Over 60 edible mushroom species have been identified in Tanzania (Buyck et al. 2000; Tibuhwa 2001; Härkönen et al. 2003). Mushrooms are frequently collected in southern Tanzania by the local population, mainly for own consumption. Fresh, but also dried mushrooms are sold at market places and along roadsides. It is reasonable to assume that a considerable commercialisation potential at regional, national and international level exists. Thus, domestic use and better marketing of wild mushrooms could contribute to improve the 1 In the case of endomycorrhiza, the fungal hyphae penetrate into the cells of the root. Most trees and shrubs in semi-arid Acacia savannas have endomycorrhiza but these so-called lower fungi do not produce visible fruit bodies. 7 Mushroom study Selous Niassa Wildlife Corridor livelihoods and to reduce the poverty of the local communities within the SNWC as recommended by Bloesch & Mbago (2006). The study has been split in two parts to be carried out in two subsequent rainy seasons (see TOR in Annex B). Part two of the study will be financed by ADAP and KfW through the Selous-Niassa Wildlife Protection